Mystery Monday

Who doesn't enjoy award shows? Whether its the Oscars, the Grammys, or the Emmys, they all generate their own brand of excitement and glamour. While lacking in the celebrity quotient,the mystery writers have their own prestigious awards, too. So all of you award junkies, don't despair, because there are plenty of award winners to celebrate. Mysteries are so varied that they are categorized into their own sub-genres. For example, there are awards for most humorous mysteries, for best LA noir, best historical and any other kind of mysteries you can imagine. I have listed below some of the latest award winners. See if some of your favorites have been nominated, or better yet, pick up a new favorite.

Left Coast Crime Awards presents the Lefty for most humorous mystery. The nominees are:Swan for the Money by Donna AndrewsLiving With Your Kids is Murder by Mike BefelerStrangle a Loaf of Italian Bread by Denise DietzHigh Crimes on the Magical Plane by Kris NeriAnd the winner is:Getting Old is a Disaster by Rita Lakin

Bruce Alexander Memorial Mystery Award for best historical mystery, covering events before 1950 The nominees are:Tears of Pearl by Tasha AlexanderIn a Gilded Cage by Rhys BowenFreedom's Flight by Gary PhillipsSerpent in the Thorns by Jeri WestersonAnd the winner is:A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell

Dilys Award given annually by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association to the mystery titles booksellers have most enjoyed selling. The nominees are:A Quiet Belief in Angels by R.J. EllroyThe Dark Horse by Craig JohnsonThe Girl who Played with Fire by Steig LarssonThe Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart NevilleThe Brutal Telling by Louise PennyThe Shanghai Moon by S.J. RozanAnd the winner is:The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley